Not just Shark Pictures:
Elasmodiver contains photos of sharks, skates, rays, and chimaera's
from around the world. Elasmodiver began as a simple web based
shark
field guide
to help divers find the best places to encounter the different
species of sharks and rays that live in shallow water but it has
slowly evolved into a much larger project containing information on
all aspects of shark diving and shark photography.

There are now
more than 10,000 shark pictures and sections on shark
evolution, biology, and conservation. There is a large library of
reviewed shark books, a constantly updated shark taxonomy page, a
monster list of shark links, and deeper in the site there are
numerous articles and stories about shark encounters. Elasmodiver is
now so difficult to check for updates, that new information and
pictures are listed on an Elasmodiver Updates Page that can be
accessed here:

Habitat:
Found around rocky reefs and wrecks in temperate and tropical waters.
From the surface to
200m or more.

Abundance
and distribution: A wide
ranging coastal species. A frequent inhabitant of shipwrecks on Americas eastern seaboard
especially around North Carolina. Also encountered in reef channels
around New South Wales (Australia), and at rocky reefs off South Africa.
Inhabits deeper water in the Mediterranean. Also commonly seen off Japan.
Populations inhabiting higher northern latitudes will move to warmer water in
the winter, whilst more tropical groups are often present year round.

Behavior: Often
seen hovering motionless above the bottom. A behaviour achieved by its ability
to swim to the surface and swallow air.
The stored air allows the shark to float in the same way as a fishes gas filled
swim bladder. Although docile the Sandtiger has the ability to lunge
forward with great speed when hunting or defensively. Diet varies according to
location but generally consists of bony fishes and smaller sharks and rays.

Reproduction:
Ovoviviparous
and embryophagous i.e. developing embryos practice intrauterine cannibalism
until just one baby shark remains in each uterus. Mating aggregations
have been observed. Males (in captivity) have been seen to bite females around
the gill region to hold on during copulation. Females stop feeding during
pregnancy to the point where hydroids have been observed growing on their
teeth.

Reaction
to divers: Remains
motionless unless very closely approached. Not normally aggressive towards
divers but males may become more aggessive during courtship.

Diving logistics: Companies
out of North Carolinas' Cape Hatteras and Moorhead City run day charters to
various wrecks along the Carolina Coast. I have dove repeatedly with John and
Amy Pieno who run Outer Banks Diving out of Hatteras and have seen upto 100
Sandtigers on one dive. This was the first dive of the season and the sharks
tend to move away from the most visited wrecks as the season progresses but a
few are usually still hanging around for a portrait.